Maryland vs. Florida State: Postgame Notes

Jan. 26, 2002

Maryland's 84-63 win gives the Terrapins (No. 3 USA Today/ESPN/No. 3 AP) a 6-1 record to open their ACC schedule. It matches the Terps' best seven-game start in Atlantic Coast Conference play ever, and marks the third time during the Gary Williams era that a Maryland team has posted that record.

The win extends the Terrapins' 2001-02 Cole Field House win streak to 10 (13 in all dating to last season), marking the longest season-opening home court victory stretch since the 1994-95 Terps went 16-0 at home.

Maryland's 21-point conquest of the Seminoles marks the largest Terp victory over Florida State since last season in Tallahassee (76-55 -- 1-14-01), and avenges last season's 74-71 FSU upset (2-14-01) at Cole Field House. The largest Terp margin of victory was 24 points in a 93-69 contest on March 5, 1999.

Senior Wooden and Naismith awards candidate Juan Dixon again made Maryland history this afternoon, collecting a career-high tying eight steals to bring his career total to 307. With 1,900 career points and 522 career rebounds, Dixon is now one of only four players in NCAA history to have amassed more than 1,800 points, 300 steals and 500 rebounds. He joins Providence's Eric Murdock, Ball State's Bonzi Wells and Drexel's Michael Anderson.

With a career-high tying 11 rebounds to go along with his game-high 25 points, Juan Dixon recorded his second double-double of the 2001-02 season and fourth of his career. Dixon also posted double-doubles at Georgia Tech (26 pts., 10 rebs. -- 1-13-02), vs. Clemson as a junior (11 pts., 11 rebs. -- 2-4-01), and vs. Coastal Carolina as a sophomore (18 pts., 10 rebs. -- 1-2-00). He was only two steals shy of the second triple-double in Terrapin history. (Maryland's only triple-double in school history was recorded by Cedric Lewis -- 32 points, 10 rebounds, 10 blocks -- vs. UMBC on Feb. 17, 1987.)

With his new career total of 307 steals, Juan Dixon moves up four spots on the all-time NCAA list. He now ranks 23rd, surpassing Michigan's Gary Grant, Marist's Drafton Davis, Florida A&M's Aldwin Ware and Memphis' Elliot Perry. Dixon needs to average 3.8 steals per game to break into the NCAA top five and also become Maryland's all-time leader before the season is out.

The Atlantic Coast Conference's leading shot-blocker averaging 1.82 per game, Lonny Baxter added one block to his 14 points to move into fourth on Maryland's all-time list. The senior big man tied Terrapin great Joe Smith's total of 190, which he set between the 1994 and 1995 seasons. Baxter also pulled down eight rebounds, and averages 18.4 points and 6.8 boards in the last five games.

Athletic sophomore Chris Wilcox recorded his fourth career double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds against Florida State. Saturday's game marked the his fifth double-figure scoring game in the last six contests. He averages 12.4 points and 8.0 rebounds in the last 11 Terp games.

Senior swingman Byron Mouton poured in 18 points on 8-of-12 (.667) shooting to mark his fourth double-digit scoring game in the last six. Across that stretch of all ACC contests, he averages 12.7 points.

A Juan Dixon 3-pointer at 10:06 in the first half began a stretch for the Terrapins in which they shot 13-of-20 (.650) to go up 39-33 at halftime. The Terrapins opened the game shooting just 3-of-18 (.167) and trailed the Seminoles by as many as five (11-6 at 10:29) in the opening period.

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